Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee questioned the logic behind targeting India with tariffs while neglecting China, the largest buyer of Russian energy.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats have criticised President Donald Trump for imposing tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil while sparing China and other major buyers. In a post on social media platform X, the Committee quoted a foreign media report and said that Trump’s decision to focus solely on India with tariffs is “almost like it’s not about Ukraine at all.” They also flagged that the move was “hurting Americans & sabotaging the US-India relationship in the process.”
Quoting a media report, they stated, “It would be one thing if the Trump administration had opted to follow through on the threat of secondary sanctions for any country that purchases Russian oil. But the decision to focus solely on India has resulted in perhaps the most confusing policy outcome of all: China, the largest importer of Russian energy, is still purchasing oil at discount prices and has so far been spared similar punishment.”
Instead of imposing sanctions on China or others purchasing larger amounts of Russian oil, Trump’s singling out India with tariffs, hurting Americans & sabotaging the US-India relationship in the process.
It’s almost like it’s not about Ukraine at all.https://t.co/u1pt3iAVC2 pic.twitter.com/lQNAYXTYkC
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems (@HouseForeign) August 27, 2025
Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs kick in
The US Department of Homeland Security, in a draft order said the higher tariffs would apply to Indian products entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after 12:01 am Eastern Daylight Time on August 27. According to the notice, the additional duties are being imposed to give effect to the President’s Executive Order 14329 of August 6, 2025, titled “Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of the Russian Federation.”